The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1887-06-24

lend you $500 when all your oxen died OF the
lungsick,"
ayes, yes, II shall be paid back one day
when we have got the DID Englishmen Out
Of the country" And he began to gather W
his reins preparatory to riding of.
"Will you do me favor" said Jess, catch.
ing the pony by the bride.
"What Is It'll What Is 1t, missiea ] must
be getting on. That devil OF a man. Frank
Muller, is waiting for me with the prisoners
ut the Rooihuis Kraal."
II want pass for myself and Capt. Mel,
and an escort We want to get down home. "
The old Boer held up his fat hands in
anazement.
"Almghty" he said, ut is impossible. A
pass-who ever heard Of such thing. Come,
must be going"
at is not impossible, Uncle Coetzee, as you
know" said Jess "Listen! II ! get that
pass will speak to my uncle about the $500.
Perhaps he would not want it all back again. "
"Ah" said the Boer. swell, we are old
friends, missile, and never desert a friend, :
that is my saying. Almighty! l will ride q
hundred miles-1 will swim through blood for
friend. Well, well, will see. 1t will de-
pend upon that devil Of a man, Frank Muller.
Where are you to be found-in the white
house yonders Good. Tomorrow the escort
will come in with the prisoners, and il can
get it they will bring the pass. But, missile,
remember the ESQ., II you do not speak to
your uncle about that I shall be even with
him. Almighty! what thing it is to have a
good heart and to love to help your friends!
Well, good day, good day." and of he can
tered on his fat pony, his broad face shining
with look Of unutterable benevolence.
jess cast a look Of contempt after him and
then went on toward the camp to fetch the
rations .t.. .. ..-
When she got back to 1.-THE Palatial" she
told John what had taken place, and sug-
gested that it would be as well, in case there
should be a favorable reply to her request, to
have everything prepared for start, and &C.
cordingly the cart was brought down and stood
outside "The Palatial." and John unscrewed
the patent caps and filed them with castor
oil, and ordered Mouti to keep the horses,
which were all well, though poor" from want
of proper food, well within hail.
Meanwhile, old Hans pursued the jerky
tenor of his way for an hour or SO, till he
came in sight of small red house.
Presently, from the shadow in front of the
red house emerged horseman, mounted on
powerful black horse. The horseman-a
stern, handsome, bearded man-put his hand
about his eyes to shade them from the sun,
and gaZed up the road. Then he seemed to
suddenly strike his spurs into the horse, for
the animal gave sudden bound forward, and
came sweeping towards Hans at a hand
gallop.
"Ah! it is that devil of man, Frank Null
ler!" calculated Hans. "Now I wonder what
he wants? always feel cold down the back
when he comes near me-"
BY this time the plunging black horse was
being refined up alongside of his pony SO
sharply that it reared till its great hoofs were
paving the air within few inches of Hans
head.
almighty" said the old man, Juggling his
pony round. "Be careful, nephew, be care
full! 1 do not wish to be crushed like a
beetle"
Frank Muller-for it was he-smiled. Ee
had made his horse rear purposely. in order
an arrant coward. .-,
"Why have you been SO longi and what
have you done with the Englishmeni You
SHOULD have been back half an hour ago."
"And SO should, nephew, and SO I should,
if had not been detained. Surely you do
not suppose that would linger in the &C.
cursed place? BAH" and he spat upon the
ground, lit stinks of Englishmen. cannot
get the taste of them out of my mouth"
"Your are liar, Uncle Coetzee, was the
cool answer. English with the English, Boer
with the Boer. You blow neither hot nor
cold. Be careful lest we show you up.
know you and your talk. Do you remember
what you were saying to the Englishman
Mel i'll the inn yard at Wakkerstroom when
you turned and saw me! l heard, and I do
not forget. You know what happens to a
land betrayerT"
Hans teeth positively chartered, and his
forid face blanched with fear.
what do you mean, nephew" be asked.
"1-ah!-I mean nothing l was only
speaking word Of warning to you as a
friend have heard things said about you
by"-and he dropped his voice and whispered
"a name at the sound of which poor Hans
turned whittier than ever.
"Well," went on his tormentor, when he
had sufficiently enjoyed his terror, "what
sort of terms did you make in Pictorial"
"Oh, good, nephew, good, he gabbled de-
lighted to get on fresh subject. II found
the English men supple as tanned skin.
They will give up their twelve prisoners for
our four. The men are to be in by 10 to-mor-
row. told their commandant about Laing's
Mex and Ingogo, and he would not believe
me. He thought lied like himself. They
are getting hungry there now. saw a
Hottentot knew there, and he told me that
their bones were beginning to show"
"They will be through the skin before long"
muttered Frank "Well, here we are at the
house. The general is there. He has Just
come up from Heidelberg and you can make
your report to him. Did you find out about
the Englishman-Capt.N Mel? Is it true that
he is dead!"
"No, he is not dead. By the way, l met
ON Crofts niece-the dark one She is shut
up there with the captain, and she begged me
to try and get them pass to go home. OF
course l told her that it was nonsense, and
that they must stop and starve with the
Others"
Muller, who had been listening to this last
piece of information with intense interest.
suddenly checked his horse and answered.
"Did you? Then you are a bigger fool than
I thought you. Who gave you authority to
decide whether they should have a pass or
not9
CHAPTER Xxx.